How we build
Building science, applied to Austin.
Austin sits in climate zone 2A: hot, humid, and hard on houses. These are the methods we use on every home, the same ones Matt demonstrates on The Build Show, applied with each project's architect.
- 1/2" drywall, sealed at top plate and outlets
- 2x6 framing with dense-pack cavity insulation
- Taped structural sheathing: the air and water control layer
- 2" continuous mineral wool, so studs aren't thermal bridges
- 3/4" ventilated rainscreen gap on furring strips
- Cladding: wood, fiber cement, stucco or masonry
The idea underneath all of it comes from building scientist Joe Lstiburek’s “perfect wall”: put the four control layers, for water, air, vapor and heat, on the outside of the structure. Then the framing stays warm, dry and stable for the life of the house. The same logic applies to the roof and the foundation.
Keep water out, and let it drain when it gets in
Water is the thing that destroys houses. Every window gets a sloped sill pan and is flashed shingle-style, top layer over bottom, so water always runs out and down. Every roof-to-wall intersection gets kickout flashing. We photograph each detail before it's covered.
Behind the cladding is a ventilated rainscreen gap. Rain that gets past the siding, and some always does, drains out the bottom instead of soaking the wall.
Build tight, and prove it
Most energy loss and most moisture problems ride on air leaks. The approach is to make the taped sheathing the air barrier, seal every penetration, and test with a blower door, ideally before drywall, when leaks can still be found and fixed, and again at the end.
The model energy code allows up to 5 air changes per hour at 50 pascals in our climate. High-performance homes land far below that, and passive house targets are tighter still.
Insulate outside the framing
Wood studs are thermal bridges: heat walks right through them. A continuous layer of mineral wool or rigid insulation outside the sheathing breaks that path and keeps the sheathing warm and dry, which is what actually protects the structure.
Bring the attic inside
In a Texas summer a vented attic can pass 140°F. Putting ductwork and air handlers up there is like running your AC through an oven. We insulate at the roof deck instead, so the attic sits within a few degrees of the house and the ducts are inside conditioned space.
Ventilate on purpose, and control humidity
A tight house needs fresh air brought in deliberately. An energy recovery ventilator (ERV) supplies filtered outdoor air and tempers it against the exhaust. A dedicated whole-house dehumidifier keeps indoor humidity near 50% in the shoulder seasons, when the AC isn't running enough to dry the air.
HVAC is sized from a room-by-room load calculation (Manual J), not a rule of thumb. Oversized systems short-cycle and leave the house clammy. Right-sized, variable-speed heat pumps run longer and quieter, and dry the air as they go.
Choose materials that last
Standing-seam metal roofs that shrug off hail. Cladding that can get wet and dry. Tile, stone and hardwood that age well. We would rather spend your money on a durable assembly than an extra finish that will look dated in ten years.
Supported for the life of the home
Performance doesn’t end at move-in. Our post-construction phase includes commissioning, a structured warranty program, and ongoing maintenance and repair support for the life of the home.
Want to see these details in action? Hundreds of episodes of The Build Show walk through them on real job sites.
Building science, briefly
What is the perfect wall?
A wall assembly described by building scientist Joe Lstiburek in which the four control layers (water, air, vapor and thermal) are all placed outside the structure. The framing stays warm, dry and protected, which is why the house lasts.
What is a rainscreen and why does it matter in Texas?
A rainscreen is a small air gap, usually 3/8 to 3/4 of an inch, between the siding and the water-resistive barrier. It lets water drain and the cladding dry from both sides. Without it, wind-driven rain and morning humidity get trapped against the wall.
What is ACH50?
Air changes per hour at 50 pascals. A blower door depressurizes the house and measures how many times per hour the full volume of air leaks out. The model energy code allows up to 5 in our climate zone; high-performance homes land far below that.
Isn't a tight house unhealthy?
Only if it isn't ventilated. The answer is to build tight and then bring in filtered fresh air on purpose, typically with an energy recovery ventilator (ERV), so you control what you breathe. Build tight, ventilate right.
Why put the attic inside the conditioned space?
In Austin, a vented attic can pass 140°F in summer. Putting ducts and equipment up there wastes energy and invites condensation. Insulating at the roofline keeps the attic within a few degrees of the house.
Tell us about your lot.
Whether you own land, are looking at a teardown, or already have drawings, the first conversation is the same: what you want to build, where, and when.
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